


A Day In The Life

by InkstainedGwyn



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Fluff, M/M, not agents, shadow ops au, yukiko chie and rise are in it but just barely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 11:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17848493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkstainedGwyn/pseuds/InkstainedGwyn
Summary: A decade after Izanami, the IT work for the Shadow Operatives. The job might be strange, but they're still just your average, everyday guys.





	A Day In The Life

**Author's Note:**

> The Shadow Ops and the Agents aren't the same AU, so I've been tackling some prompts to differentiate the two. This one is the Shadow Ops, where P4 acted (largely, with improvements) the same as it did in canon, and this is just an extrapolation of what might be once everybody grows up and joins Mitsuru's agency.

Creeping through the dilapidated building, Souji kept his hand on the hilt of his katana, eyes peeled as he scanned the shadows, dirty fluorescent lights flickering above, water dripping down scarred and moldy walls. It was the kind of place you’d worry might come down around your shoulders at any time, but that… wasn’t how things worked here. As unstable as it looked, it would stay whole for as long as its host persisted. Whether it would stay behind, a forgotten shell - as happened back in the TV world - or whether it would come back if the host regressed, he didn’t know. None of them knew the parameters of this metaverse, but there were other people to look into that - Souji’s team were the ground unit, the heavy-lifters of the Ministry of Justice’s Parapsychiatric Division. 

Not that they were stupid - far from it - they knew what was important and what wasn’t when gathering clues and reporting suspicious activity, but this “metaverse” was far from their only target. As far as they could tell, these shadows were different from the ones back in the TV world - sure, they were the repressed sides of people, but they didn’t act in the same way, nor did they require their host to be around. But then, this was Tokyo, after all, and for every one person happy with their life and who they were there were at least a hundred who weren’t. It wasn’t surprising that a hotbed of angst and discontent would breed something like this. Besides, Mitsuru had an entire team of folks whose job it was to compile the data the ground teams brought in from the countless “shadow-related events” that popped up daily around the country (and around the world). Right now, however, Souji’s sole focus was the passage in front of him as he turned a corner only to find another empty hallway with a stairwell going up and down. 

Suddenly, the watch on his wrist lit up with Yosuke’s name, and his earpiece crackled to life at the same moment. 

“Partner! Are we out of detergent?” 

Souji stared at his wrist with a confused expression on his face for about five seconds before he realised what Yosuke meant; nodding, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Oh, yeah, you’re right. I’ll put it on the list. Let me know if you think of anything else.” His earpiece crackled again, but Yosuke was cut off by another incredulous voice. 

“Oh my god, _this again_? What the hell, you two? Who the hell plans a shopping list while they’re staking out a potential shadow hideout?”

Souji’s lips twitched, but he merely replied, “No one, I hope. Nobody else is even supposed to be in here.” A faint sound of hyena laughter wafted through his earpiece, and then Yosuke snickered. 

“Yeah, Chie. Besides, just because you’re the kind of person who would start laundry without checking to see if you had everything doesn’t mean _we_ are.” Souji was about to chide them, but the hyena laughter grew louder, and a fourth voice chimed in.

“That- _ahahahahahahah_ -that would mean Chie actually _does_ any laundry! _Hahahahahahaha!_ ”

Chie’s response was instantaneous. “That’s not fair, Yukiko! You do the laundry and I clean the bathroom. That’s what we agreed on!” 

Yosuke started to howl, but at this, Souji suppressed his own laughter and put his finger up to his earpiece. It wasn’t like they had to be quiet - the metaverse always seemed to be buzzing with noise just like any real-world Tokyo streets - but they did need to focus. Before he could remind them to settle down, however, the building alarm began to sound and behind Souji, his persona Izanagi tensed - a sure sign that there were shadows nearby. His message changed, as did his voice, taking on a terse, leader-like tone.

“Status report - who has eyes on shadow movement? Rise?” 

A chorus of quiet “no”s came in from Yosuke and Yukiko, but Chie’s dudgeon had dropped and she was back to being professional. “The elevator in corridor 3C just started moving. I think that’s what triggered the alarm.”

“Affirmative.” Rise’s voice wasn’t quite as clear here as it had been in the TV world, but her scanning capabilities hadn’t diminished. “I’m registering shadow activity in the elevator shaft heading towards Chie’s location.”

“Did we trigger something?”

“I don’t think so. It seems to be unrelated - although I still think you guys chatter too much.” 

“Noted.” Souji was already on the move. “Rise, can you figure out where to shut down that alarm?” 

“It’s at a security node in what looks like an office nearby. I’m dispatching Naoto and Kanji, they’re on street patrol.” 

“Good. I’m on my way, Chie. Everybody else, hold your positions unless we call for backup.”

Souji rounded the corner at Chie’s location just in time to see the light above the elevator door go on; the two looked at each other, nodding as they fell back to flank either side, out of view of the doors, waiting.. As soon as they did, the doors opened, and two shadows emerged - both hulking brutes with too many arms and no legs. Chie nodded imperceptibly to Souji and lunged for the first, lashing out with a roundhouse kick that sent it sprawling, and Souji sent Izanagi in at the first while he went for the second, coordinating his attack with Chie’s to take them by surprise. He expected pushback and was not disappointed; dodging an attack from one of his shadow’s many arms, he saw Tomoe rocketing towards the shadow, polearm ready to pierce it. 

Drawing back, Souji was just reaching for the .38 caliber sidearm in his shoulder holster when Chie shouted “Behind you!” Spinning around, he was just in time to see a tall, spindly shadow - this one all legs, it seemed - swinging straight towards him. 

Time seemed to slow down as everything happened all at once.

Chie used a downward kick to propel herself upwards and out of the grip of the shadow she’d been fighting. 

Tomoe, who had just impaled the shadow Souji originally went after, attempted to extract her weapon at Chie’s command and attack the newcomer.

Rise shouted over their earpieces that there were more shadows on the way.

Souji mentally ordered Izanagi to intercept.

Souji raised his katana, bracing for impact.

Before he could even get his weapon into position, however, two razor-sharp kunai came whistling out of nowhere, both sinking deeply into the shadow’s back, sending it reeling. Souji didn’t even need to look up to know that Yosuke had joined them; he just thrust his katana into the shadow, jamming it downwards to slice a hole in the creature. The brunette came flying through the air several seconds later - launched by Jiraiya, no doubt, as aerial combat was one of the persona’s specialties - retrieving his kunai on the way down as he took a battle stance at Souji’s back.

“Sorry I’m late, partner!” 

Souji could tell by the tone of his voice that he was enjoying himself - the brunette always did love the thrill of combat - and he shook his head. “I thought I told you to stay put?” His voice was mild, however, and there was no reproach in it, because he trusted Yosuke’s judgement.

“Had a feeling you’d need backup. Looks like I was right.” Souji’s only response was a chuckle as the two dove in, their movements complementing each other as only partners could, and with Chie’s help they mopped up the last of the shadows that had come up on the elevator. 

By the time they had finished, Kanji and Naoto had cut off the alarm - Naoto suspected it had been triggered by the shadows entering the elevator, not by the IT, but that didn’t mean they shouldn’t be careful. It was a lecture they’d heard before and knew they’d hear again, but that was just Naoto, they all knew it, and nobody minded it. It was why they all worked so well together as a team, and why MItsuru had recruited them all together, leaving them as a team. 

Despite that run-in and several subsequent ones, they found no other suspicious activities, and they left at the end of their shift with a handful of new locations and leads for the other teams to check out. They’d come in the next day with a new target - probably one of the leads they’d come away with today - but until then, they were off duty, a fact for which everyone was grateful. The metaverse was tiring, and fighting shadows was always brutal.

Souji was just securing his sword and firearm in his locker when Yosuke dropped onto the bench next to him, leather jacket hanging open as he wiped his neck with a towel. 

“It’s been one hell of a day. Right, partner?”

A glance told Souji that Yosuke had already put away his gear, so he took seat next to the brunette, loosening his tie as he nodded. “Yeah, we didn’t get as far as I’d have liked, but we cleared that block, at least. It was good work.”

Yosuke’s gaze was on Souji’s tie, and he smirked as his partner caught his eyes. “Trying to tempt me at work, I see.” Souji just shoved him with his shoulder, smiling.

“Maybe when we get home. We’ve got to stop at the supermarket, remember? Detergent, eggs, coffee filters-” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “-paper towels, cheese, drain cleaner, and-” He stopped at the last item, cheeks flaring and mouth closing quickly as his eyes darted towards Yosuke, who was grinning. 

“What? We’re out, and I don’t want to risk needing it and not having it.”

Sighing in mock exasperation, Souji tucked his phone into his pocket, standing up. “Well, let’s get going so we can knock out these errands. I _really_ want my shower.”

“See? We’re going to need it sooner, rather than later.” 

Souji just laughed, although he was all the more interested in getting home as soon as possible now. “I love you, Yosuke.” 

“Love you too, partner.”

* * *

“Do we want large eggs, or extra-large eggs?” Yosuke was holding two cartons when Souji looked up from the dairy compartment as he debated between two different brands of cheddar. “XL,” he said, placing one in the cart and putting the other one back. “I’m mostly going to use it for sushi and tamagoyaki. We’ve still got a couple of larges left in the last pack if we decide to make ramen.”

“Sounds good.” Yosuke brought the carton over, putting it into the cart next to the cheese; they resumed their stroll through the cold section, ignoring the occasional odd glance they got - it was something they were used to by now. Not that either of them looked _too_ outlandish, but the sleeve bands they both wore drew attention even if nobody outside of the police sector knew what they represented. Besides, as Yosuke was wont to point out - they were both devastatingly handsome, and even after a long day at work Yosuke in his leather biker outfit and Souji in his three-piece suit could still draw attention. 

It didn’t really bother either of them, however, and as they found a place in the checkout lanes, Souji yawned. “What do we want for dinner?”

Yosuke folded an arm over Souji’s shoulder, pulling him against his shoulder. “Let’s stop for beef bowls. You sound exhausted, and there’s no real _need_ to cook.”

“You don’t like my cooking anymore, I see how it is.” Souji laughed as Yosuke rolled his eyes. 

“Yep, sorry, you got me there, partner. Absolutely hate it.”

As they both laughed - and Souji pretended not to watch as Yosuke slipped a bag of chips and two sodas into their cart - he relaxed against the brunette’s shoulder feeling worn out, but happy. It was an odd life, unpredictable, and it was awkward sometimes when he was with family, having to find a way to explain that he was with the police, but not _exactly_. 

But it was a life he wouldn’t want to exchange for anything else.

* * *

“Are you sure this is the place? It looks like a normal boutique. Kinda swank, but still…” Yosuke peered up at the building in front of them, the windows eery with their display mannequins backlit from the security lights. 

Souji, looking down at the map on his watch, nodded. “Yeah. There have been rumours for a couple of months that this place is haunted, and you know that all those weird reports come through our division. They also pan out more often than not, which is an interesting observation about the supernatural, but that’s something for another time.” 

Yosuke knew exactly how deep into the weeds Souji could get when they started discussing things like this, so he picked up the conversation before his partner could get distracted. “So, what, they got their hands on a dark hour relic? Question then is whether it’s for display, or for sale.”

“Definitely sale. Naoto ran their records and found out that they were keeping up some pretty hefty financial transactions for a place that might sell two scarves and a pair of shoes in a day. Sure, they’re fifty-thousand yen shoes-” Yosuke made a gagging noise “-but that’s not enough. No, they’ve got an underground auction ring going on here. Smugglers and gangsters bring in illegal, prohibited, or stolen goods, and every few months they hold an auction. That’s right up the ministry’s alley - it’s a perfect cover story for this whole operation - and we get to bust the whole thing while removing whatever it is they found that’s generating the pocket dark hour.”

Whistling, the brunette looked at his watch. “Talk about getting lucky - dark hour gives us time to case the joint, get the evidence, and remove the item. I assume customs and narcotics will be along to pick them up once we’re done?” 

“Yeah, but you know as well as I do that none of them can operate until the item is off the premises, and we’ll have to be careful where we carry it, because as we shift its radius of influence, it’ll affect more areas. Right now it’s probably in a safe underground, which is why it’s just this building and a little bit of the surrounding area. That’s how it got the reputation of being “haunted”.” Souji stood up. “We’re ten minutes from midnight. The other teams are arriving in thirty minutes and Kanji and Naoto are one block over in case we need backup.”

“So we gotta get in, get the thing, stash it somewhere, and get out. And as soon as we stash it-” he nodded at the case Souji was holding “-we gotta watch out for all those confused and angry thugs and watchdogs once everybody wakes up?” Yosuke rolled his shoulders with a grin. “We got this, you know we do.” As Souji chuckled, pulling up the building’s floorplan on his watch, the brunette looked up at the sky. “Tomorrow’s our day off. We still doing hotpot?”

“Yeah.” Souji smiled. “Why?”

“Well then.” Yosuke loosened the snap on his shoulder holster. “First one to find the thing gets to pick ingredients?”

As the clock struck midnight, both men started towards the building at a slow jog, keeping to the shadows against the wall. Souji laughed. “And the other one does dishes?”

“Deal. Now let’s do this!”


End file.
